Explore:

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Jen Talks About Food & Beverages While Reading

When I read I also need to have some type of beverage beside me. Reading makes me thirsty I guess? If I start my book with no drink I can't concentrate until I have something to quench my thirst. Even though there have been many times that I've been so engrossed in a book my beverage was completely ignored. So my hot drink became cold and my iced drink turned watery and room temperature.

Lately, my "reading" drink of choice has been tea. I've been sipping green tea or white tea while reading. Since the majority of my reading done at night, a book and some tea is a great way to unwind from a busy day.

But as the seasons change so does my choice of "reading" beverages. During those lazy days of summer I love reading at the beach or by the pool with a glass of lemonade or unsweetened ice tea. In the cooler fall months I usually prefer apple cider or a hot vanilla chai. In the winter (after shoveling massive amounts of snow), I sit curled up with a blanket, a book, and a cup of dark hot chocolate.

Now eating...I like to snack but I usually don't eat while reading. I find it to be too inconvenient. Unless it's something small like crackers, a granola bar or my favorite Easter candy (Cadbury Mini Eggs anyone?). But there have been a handful of times that I've eaten a meal while reading. For example, I had about fifty pages left in Perfect Fifths but I was starving (seriously though, my stomach was making obnoxious 'feed me now' noises). Luckily, there were leftovers to quickly heat up because I didn't want to put the book down for long. That's been one of the few times I've ate while reading. Although I think I got more reading done than eating.

I want to know if you eat or drink while enjoying a book, or are you afraid of crumbs and spills? Do you read while eating a meal or just during snacks? For drinks do you use a regular glass or are you so concerned about a potential spill your cup has a lid?

29 comments:

I'm afraid of crumbs and spills, but I still eat and drink while reading, haha. I agree, I can't eat a full meal while reading, it's just too difficult. No cup or lid on my drinks...I would feel like my kids, lol. I usually drink coffee or crystal light while reading and whatever snacks are around at the time.

I definitely drink while reading...a cup of water at night or tea on cool nights...I don't care about spills, crumbs etc...but I usually don't eat while I'm reading unless I'm so engrossed in what I'm reading that I cannot put it down. I'm too afraid of stabbing myself in the face with a fork :)

I don't know if I have to have a drink beside me, but my morning ritual consists of going to the campus coffee shop and getting a beverage and then reading before class starts. At night it depends, I usually have a glass of water or sweet tea hovering somewhere in my vicinity anyway, so I think it's just coincidence if it happens to be near me while I read.Although during the winter I do love curling up with a hot drink of choice and a book.And as far as food goes, I think it's the same. I'm not really concerned about crumbs and stuff, but I'm not coordinated enough to eat and read at the same time!

I generally have a book pretty close on hand, and read whenever I can get away with it without seeming totally rude - so I often read while eating/drinking! I'm afraid my books are covered in stains... they're "well-loved".I especiallly love settling down with a nice cup of tea and a book, it's a wonderful combo!

I usually have a nice cup of mint tea with me, too, but when I sip, I usually put the book to the side and away from where I'm drinking. Unless I'm engrossed in the book, which can happen at times. I try not to eat while reading because crumbs are not a good book accessory. I've found potato chip crumbs in library books I checked out and believe me, it's not a thing I want to see in a book again let alone be the source of where the crumbs came from.

I'm always drinking whilst reading and but I don't have a specific type. Usually juice but occasionally it has been tea, coffee or a cheeky we glass of wine. If it is a good book I do tend to forget it's there too. I have been known to read through my lunch and on occasion (if I am on my own) through dinner.

I eat and drink without hesitation. I'm a big soda drinker so my drinks usually have lids. I mostly read on my Nook now so I can read one-handed. When I eat dinner I just cut everything up before I start reading. :)

I do drink while I'm reading. I usually make sure that the glass or mug I'm drinking of isn't super full just in case I have a klutz moment. Even though I'd save the book before I'd try to save the drink.

I don't often eat while reading. I'm terrified of stains. At my last job I did try to read during my lunch break but that usually didn't work out very well.

I have an ereader now so I'm trying to break out of my shell when it comes to food, but it's really hard.

I know exactly how you feel. I have to have something to drink while I am reading or else, I can't concentrate on the book. It's very strange. In the summer, let me sit outside by the pool with my book and Snapple Peach Tea and I'm happy as a clam! I put mine in a Starbucks tumbler that's meant to look like one of their iced drink cups. It's sturdy, has a lid, a cute straw, and doesn't spill. What's not to love about that?!

I'm not sure I could read at all if I didn't have Diet Coke at hand. My drinks all have lids, and my books are on a Kindle, so I never worry about spills. I rarely eat anything while reading, because I'm usually so focused on the book, but if I do, it would be a snack of some kind, never a meal.

I am most definitely a snacker! I get the munchies when I read, so even though I don't usually eat full out meals while reading, I definitely always have snacks on hand -- pretzels, M&Ms, goldfish, etc. I usually keep a drink nearby too; most of the time it's tea, but sometimes it'll be a glass of water or wine, or a soda.

I usually have a drink and a snack nearby. I have been known to read during meals, but it's usually just a sandwich so I can eat with one hand while I hold the book with the other. I'm never afraid of spilling on my book because I'm pretty careful, but I'm sure I've done it in the past.

I cannot eat and read at the same time. I have tried to read a book during dinner but I usually only get a page or two read-I just get too distracted. I can't even snack because I can't think past the crunch of the food when I'm chewing. Most of the reading during meal time gets done after all my food is gone and my plates are pushed aside. That's when I'll just lean back in my chair and read for 20 minutes or so at the table.

I do often drink while I'm reading, though. I'll have a cup of hot tea or water sitting next to me about half the time.

I definitely drink while I'm reading... a good hot cup of coffee is my vice. Or hot chocolate in the winter sometimes. I don't usually eat unless it's something that's not messy at all... I don't like to spill anything at or near a book. But, my cup doesn't have a lid. I'm careful LOL!

I rarely sit down to eat w/out a book. Ok, when I'm with my sweetie or with a group, obviously I'm not rude. But at home? I eat with a book. I always have a glass of water or a drink to sip on, whether I'm reading or working on the computer. I've never even worried about spilling food on a book when I eat. Course I take books into the bathtub as well and never owrry about dropping them (although I have before). I guess I just see it as an acceptable risk. ;)

What a fabulous post. I really enjoyed reading through this one. I love to have a cup of hot water or a cup of tea as I read through a book, but more often than not, it's cold by the time I get around to drinking it - but I figure if that's the only downside to a good book I'm happy to live with it.And definitely yes to mini eggs!

I generally don't snack while I read, but I read while I eat my regular meals at home, and I usually keep a book in the kitchen just for that purpose. I have set things up so that I would have to have a major spill or splash to get any food on the books. I sometimes have a drink at hand while I am reading, but I don't find it necessary.

I often drink a cup of black tea while reading. In the fall, I like apple cider and in the hot summer months I will occasionally treat myself to a fruit smoothie from the coffee shop.

I am not worried about spilling drinks while I read but I am less likely to eat while I read. I will sometimes have something small (like cookies) or something I can eat neatly. This morning I ate my cereal while reading an e-book on my laptop.

Full Disclosure:

We are Amazon Affiliates! What does this mean?

Simply put, if you see a book on our blog that strikes your fancy and you would like to buy it, you can click on the link and it will take you to Amazon to purchase it. A percentage of that sale comes back to the folks here at The Broke and Bookish so that we can host awesome giveaways and afford shipping costs. We are so appreciative of those of you who support us through this program. We love to give back to our readers, but don't always have the extra money to do so, seeing as how we are broke college students!